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Ken Brennan (1920-2006) -- Miner, Paxton Colliery. Recorded 18 December 1991. Part 2/2.
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SummaryKEN BRENNAN
Recorded 18 December 1991
Part 2 of 2
0:23
Worked at BHP Steel works for 3 years after working at Paxton. Norm Mitchell. Recalls getting job at Liddell Colliery.
1:31
Worked at Liddell for over 3 years. George Wall. Bert Wall . Worked at Aberdare 7 at west Cessnock for a short time.
2:20
Worked at Munmorah Colliery for 12 years. First started work at age 16. Tom Brennan (brother). Harold Morton.
3:02
Dave Evans. Jimmy Orr. Hughie Orr – deputy at Paxton. Ben Orr – shuttle car driver.
4:13
Ted Townshend – brick maker at Paxton. Pob Hallam. Fred Hallam. Frank Hallam – winder driver.
6:07
Coal crusher was electrically-driven. Dimensions of "picking belt" – “not as long as a cricket pitch”. Coal from screens ran on steel belt. Alec Deitz.
7:51
Harry Parker. Frank Buman – built the stack and bricked in the shafts. Recalls "bricking-in" of shaft. Recalls building of chimney stack.
10:37
Richmond Main supplied the power to the pit to Paxton from Abermain No 2. - Alec Gerrish. Hilldale Colliery, location of. Athol Lightfoot 1932 – fatality. Describes "driving" of drift, Paxton – Ken says it was built by contract.
13:51
Location of "drift", Paxton Colliery – went towards Congewoi Rd. Depth of "drift", Paxton Colliery – a steep 200 yards. Describes "steepness" grade of drift, Paxton – (1 in 3). Used "alligator" to dispose of stone.
16:02
8 – 10 men working on "alligator" in 2 shifts. Recalls early section worked at Paxton. "The Stone Drive", Paxton Colliery – in the travelling drive. Depth of "The Stone Drive".
19:41
Describes "steepness" (grade) of stone drive – 1 in 4. Used steel rope for haulage. Used battery-powered locomotive transport. Number of men per/carriage.
21:40
Describes transport in "4 East" section. Describes transport in "2 East" section. Number of locomotives per/section, Paxton. Recalls no transport in "north" workings.
23:12
Recalls depth of "north" section workings. Direction of coal in "north" workings. Main & tail winch rope used in "north". Main & tail winch rope used in "south".
25:18
Replaced electric winch with "endless rope" – the winder ran on steam. Describes riding the air shaft cage – a nightmare he was pleased to get out of. Amount of time that cage took to travel shaft. Describes travelling air shaft cage – once the chain on the cage was broken on the way up.
28:38
Roy Broadbent. Jim Clay - engineer. Jim Keivers – pit top boss. Mick Shields, manager.
30:17
Greer Beville, undermanager. Idris Evans, manager. Members of family working at Paxton. Jack Brennan (brother).
31:36
Tom Brennan (brother). Colin Brennan (brother). Abbie Brennan (brother). Mervyn Brennan (brother).
31:46
Arnie Brennan (brother). Keith Brennan (brother). George Chapman – stoker on the railways. Colin Chapman – both firemen on the railways.
34:05
End (Tape 414/Side B) Part 2 of 2
Brennan, Kenneth Francis, 1920-2006PersonJack DelaneyDepicts or Relates ToHarry ParkerJim OrrCollectionVoices of the HunterLocation[1] Paxton Colliery, NSWIdentifier414B
Recorded 18 December 1991
Part 2 of 2
0:23
Worked at BHP Steel works for 3 years after working at Paxton. Norm Mitchell. Recalls getting job at Liddell Colliery.
1:31
Worked at Liddell for over 3 years. George Wall. Bert Wall . Worked at Aberdare 7 at west Cessnock for a short time.
2:20
Worked at Munmorah Colliery for 12 years. First started work at age 16. Tom Brennan (brother). Harold Morton.
3:02
Dave Evans. Jimmy Orr. Hughie Orr – deputy at Paxton. Ben Orr – shuttle car driver.
4:13
Ted Townshend – brick maker at Paxton. Pob Hallam. Fred Hallam. Frank Hallam – winder driver.
6:07
Coal crusher was electrically-driven. Dimensions of "picking belt" – “not as long as a cricket pitch”. Coal from screens ran on steel belt. Alec Deitz.
7:51
Harry Parker. Frank Buman – built the stack and bricked in the shafts. Recalls "bricking-in" of shaft. Recalls building of chimney stack.
10:37
Richmond Main supplied the power to the pit to Paxton from Abermain No 2. - Alec Gerrish. Hilldale Colliery, location of. Athol Lightfoot 1932 – fatality. Describes "driving" of drift, Paxton – Ken says it was built by contract.
13:51
Location of "drift", Paxton Colliery – went towards Congewoi Rd. Depth of "drift", Paxton Colliery – a steep 200 yards. Describes "steepness" grade of drift, Paxton – (1 in 3). Used "alligator" to dispose of stone.
16:02
8 – 10 men working on "alligator" in 2 shifts. Recalls early section worked at Paxton. "The Stone Drive", Paxton Colliery – in the travelling drive. Depth of "The Stone Drive".
19:41
Describes "steepness" (grade) of stone drive – 1 in 4. Used steel rope for haulage. Used battery-powered locomotive transport. Number of men per/carriage.
21:40
Describes transport in "4 East" section. Describes transport in "2 East" section. Number of locomotives per/section, Paxton. Recalls no transport in "north" workings.
23:12
Recalls depth of "north" section workings. Direction of coal in "north" workings. Main & tail winch rope used in "north". Main & tail winch rope used in "south".
25:18
Replaced electric winch with "endless rope" – the winder ran on steam. Describes riding the air shaft cage – a nightmare he was pleased to get out of. Amount of time that cage took to travel shaft. Describes travelling air shaft cage – once the chain on the cage was broken on the way up.
28:38
Roy Broadbent. Jim Clay - engineer. Jim Keivers – pit top boss. Mick Shields, manager.
30:17
Greer Beville, undermanager. Idris Evans, manager. Members of family working at Paxton. Jack Brennan (brother).
31:36
Tom Brennan (brother). Colin Brennan (brother). Abbie Brennan (brother). Mervyn Brennan (brother).
31:46
Arnie Brennan (brother). Keith Brennan (brother). George Chapman – stoker on the railways. Colin Chapman – both firemen on the railways.
34:05
End (Tape 414/Side B) Part 2 of 2
Brennan, Kenneth Francis, 1920-2006PersonJack DelaneyDepicts or Relates ToHarry ParkerJim OrrCollectionVoices of the HunterLocation[1] Paxton Colliery, NSWIdentifier414Bloading google map....
Delaney, Jack, 1919-2010, Ken Brennan (1920-2006) -- Miner, Paxton Colliery. Recorded 18 December 1991. Part 2/2., [414B]. Living Histories, accessed 05/12/2023, https://livinghistories.newcastle.edu.au/nodes/view/56056